


Habit

by kenezbian



Category: Rooster Teeth/Achievement Hunter RPF
Genre: Cigarettes, M/M, Smoking
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-10-04
Updated: 2014-10-04
Packaged: 2018-02-19 21:29:07
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 600
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2403521
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kenezbian/pseuds/kenezbian
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Joel smokes. Adam knows his patterns.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Habit

He knew Joel’s habit like the back of his hand and it bothered him to no end.

He would stand up from his desk and grab The Stack that he kept on the left corner - lighter on top of box of Marb Lights on top of iPhone. As he walked to the outside door, he’d slip the phone into his left front pocket and the lighter into the watch pocket on the right.

He never smoked immediately outside the door out of courtesy; he would pace around the parking lot, winding his way to his car and back. The door slamming shut behind him was his cue to tap the box against his right wrist (never the heel or palm) exactly six times. If he missed or one of the taps wasn’t “good enough,” he’d do it again.

He’d never seen him do the taps three times.

He’d flip the box open with his left thumb and draw out one of the white sticks with his right hand and put it to his lips, pinched between his forefinger and thumb. The box would end up in the left pocket with the phone and he’d dig for the lighter for a moment before mumbling “shit” around the filter and biting down, holding the cigarette in his lips while he got the lighter out of the right pocket.

One time he’d suggested Joel put the lighter where he looked for it, but he was met with a narrow-eyed stare.

Joel would repinch the cigarette with his right hand and light it with the left, then close his eyes and take a deep drag. As he pulled it away from his mouth for the first inhale, he’d swap hands and put the lighter back, the cigarette finding the spot between the first and second knuckles of his first and second fingers.

This was the longest break between draws; he always took a moment to enjoy the first one with his eyes closed, mouth hanging a little open, inhaling through his nose, smoke curling around his lip a little. Then he’d heave a sigh and the smoke would blow out in a big huff, and the tension would melt from his forehead. He’d casually flick the filter with his thumb to knock the ash off as he lifted it for the second taste.

The inhales after that would depend on the day. If he was with another smoker, he would take long drags and hold them longer. With a non-smoker, he’d take shorter breaths to get it over quickly for their sake. The smoke after a meal and at the end of the day was almost always taken alone, because he needed to take that moment for himself.

He didn’t smoke in his car or in his home. He didn’t smoke after sex.

Finally, at the end, he’d lean over and scrape out the cherry on the pavement, then hold the butt in his hand until it was cold before tossing it in the nearest garbage receptacle. Joel didn’t like to litter, didn’t like stomping it out with his foot, and was always nervous about starting a garbage fire again.

"Joel, you should stop smoking," he had said to him one time during that moment Joel took after the initial drag.

Joel side-eyed him and snorted, puffs of smoke coming from his nose like a bull out of a Looney Toons short. “You’re fat and you have a beard, Adam.”

"What?"

Joel shrugged and put the cigarette to his lips. “I thought we were stating the obvious,” he muttered as he took another breath.


End file.
